Show of Force 2026 Picture Gallery

This is the follow-up Show of Force 2026 picture gallery post - please see the coverage below for full display photography, Show of Force contest results and accolades! Until next year everyone!

+ Show of Force 2026 Picture Gallery +

Show of Force 2026 Results and Coverage

It was once again the time for a great gathering, and what a Show of Force it was! We had the privilege to host fifteen brilliant displays created by local hobbyists representing a multitude of game systems. Together we managed to turn many heads interested in miniature painting - a total of 213 public votes were given during Ropecon Saturday, highlighting the relevance of Show of Force as a unique window to the Finnish wargaming hobby. 

The winners each claimed a certificate and hobby supplies sponsored by our supporters Trench Crusade, Green Stuff World and AK Interactive! We also teamed up with the 28 Mag to reward cool entries with special badge commendations.

The full picture gallery of this year's miniature eye candy will be posted soon as a separate post! Congratulations to all the triumphant winners! 

Best Sci-Fi

Martti Teinilä, Black Box (Entry 12)

Best Fantasy 

Janne Saastamoinen, The Dark-Winged Avenging Army of Nurgle (Entry 1)

Best Historical

Jaakko Björklund, Pohjan Pojat (Entry 4)

Fan Favourite

Mika Joensuu, Legio Lazarus (Entry 6)

Trench Crusader

Eetu Toiviainen, Preussisches Jägerbatallion 27 (Entry 15)

+ Full Facebook Picture Gallery +

Civil War Patrols in Cinematic Frames, Part II

The second of two cinematic gallery videos from War Head Civil War 2025 is out now! This film showcases the other four of the eight armies that took part in our narrative Horus Heresy skirmish event - a 500-point format focused on camaraderie and the visual aspects of the hobby. See the first part here!

One For All - XVIII Salamanders

It's interesting how much room there is for artistic, personal interpretations and strong, themed army composition choices even in small, 500 point patrol rosters. We often talk about how neat it is to see personal takes on different Legions - especially now as we have pretty much every faction represented in our joint collection we start to see new, reimagined versions of the same subjects. It's all down to the vision and understanding of the culture behind each faction, as each Legion can be interpreted in miniature art in so many ways. The combination of Salamanders and Solar Auxilia elements in Ollie's Civil War list was particularly fitting for the 18th Legiones Astartes.

When it comes to modelling, Ollie chose to mix armour marks within the squads for an olschool Tactical Squad vibe and also to have different kind of details to paint. These might also be the first Heresy force Ollie has done with a warm colour palette - a proper collector's item! The basing scenery has been created with the help of GamersGrass tuft kits. 

Civil War Patrols in Cinematic Frames, Part I

The first part in the cinematic Civil War army galleries is up! Witness Manel's Mechanicum, Noa's White Scars, Lauri's Death Guard and Eric's Dark Angels patrol through our cityfight battlefields. The other four participating Civil War forces shall follow!

5th Archivist and Development Group

My personal effort for this year's Civil War was an interpretation of the arcane Thousand Sons. I picked a Legion I was not very familiar with so the process of studying them was quite inspiring - it's always an interesting challenge trying to grasp a faction's "core essence" and then attempt to turn it into details in the miniatures. 

The patrol is themed around a concept of a hostile city that has just been made compliant, and the sorcerer-scientists deploy to study the culture and secrets buried under the rubble. As the army's theme is the moment after the fighting has ceased, I've modelled most of the troops in non-combat posing - at ease, in overwatch or on patrol. There's a lot of personal headcanon and specific design thoughts that went into these models - the Instagram posts for each unit include some musings about their conversion details.

The conversion essentials here were Tortuga Bay bodies, Eldar Shadow Spectres clothing strips and various GW/FW resin bits in arms, hands and weaponry. The army was painted with products from Citadel, AK Interactive and Scale75. Basing accessories by Micro Art Studios, Kromlech and Green Stuff World.

Civil Warrior: Teemu @gowarhead
Faction: The Thousand Sons
Army: 5th Archivist & Development Group

Elite: Numerologist Cabal, 4x Life Wards
Elite: The Whisper Occult, Khenetai Blades
Troop: Corvidae Tactical Squad, Combi-Grenade Launcher
Transport: Rhino APC, Hunter-Killer Missile
Transport: Rhino APC, Hunter-Killer Missile
Transport: Rhino APC, Hunter-Killer Missile

Psychic Power Markers: Remembrancer Seth An-Khamun & Thrall Scribe
Wysiwyg Token: Cloud Scarab UAV, Prosperine Mind-Link

+ Click here for the full gallery of the Thousand Sons +

Horus Heresy Army Showcase: XIII Ultramarines

Take a look at the first episode in cinematic army showcases for War Head YouTube! The weary loyalists from the XIII Legion cross the Thracian countryside and seek shelter from a friendly farmstead. The host is led by the Lord of Ultramar himself - Primarch Roboute Guilliman. Hope you enjoy this cinematic look at the pride of Macragge!

War Head Civil War 2025 Results and Coverage

These are the good old days.

Our annual highlight of hobby magic and the peak in our shared Horus Heresy enthusiasm is in the books again. It was spectacular to return to the Civil War with such a dedicated crew and experience all new armies, unit additions and character reinforcements make their debuts after months of work on the hobby desks.

I really admire both the level of creativity as well as the bravery in how our participants were out to forge memorable and narratively inspired armies - as we took turns revealing our new forces one unit at a time there was twists and surprises at every turn. Civil War's artistic beauty is in its scale - patrol sized armies are much more approachable as hobby projects, and definitely enough to tell a complete story with as we witnessed again this Saturday.

Massive gratitude to all of the crew for making this special tradition what it is - the pinnacle of our joint hobby and something that keeps us inspired all year around.

All event photography by the brilliant Manel @mp_miniatures!

Round 1: Escalation (1v1)

14 Salamanders (Ollie) vs Ordo Reductor (Manel) 6
14 White Scars (Noa) vs True Mechanicum (Joel) 6
5 Death Guard (Lauri) vs Thousand Sons (Teemu) 15
8 Imperial Militia (Scott) vs Dark Angels (Eric) 12

Round 2: Battle Brothers (2v2)

15 Thousand Sons & Dark Angels (Teemu+Eric) vs Salamanders & White Scars (Ollie+Noa) 5
12 Death Guard & Militia (Lauri+Scott) vs Ordo Reductor & True Mechanicum (Manel+Joel) 8

Round 3: Carnage (4-way free-for-all)

Dark Angels (Eric) 5
Thousand Sons (Teemu) 5
Ordo Reductor (Manel) 3
White Scars (Noa) 3
Salamanders (Ollie) 4
True Mechanicum (Joel) 4
Death Guard (Lauri) 5
Imperialis Militia (Scott) 6

Final Standings

1. Thousand Sons 35
2. Dark Angels 32
3. Imperialis Militia 26
4. Salamanders 23
5. Death Guard 22
6. White Scars 22
7. Ordo Reductor 17
8. True Mechanicum 16

+ Army List Compilation +

Civil Warrior: Joel @fellfyre
Faction: True Mechanicum
Army: Experimental Weapons Field Test Sigma-18

HQ: Magos Dominus, Artificia Cybernetica, Master-Crafted Photon Gauntlet, Machinator Array, Power Lance, Cyber Familiar
Troop: 10 Adsecularis Tech-Thralls Covenant
Troop: 4 Scyllax Guardian-Automata Maniple, Kraken Bolters
Fast: Vorax Battle-automata Maniple, 1 Irad-Cleanser

Civil Warrior: Eric @wrhd.eric
Faction: The Dark Angels
Army: The Final Sanction

HQ: Optae, Artificer Armour, Nemesis Bolt Gun
Elite: Dreadwing Interemptor Squad
Troop: Legion Tactical Squad, Stormwing
Troop: Legion Despoiler Squad, Deathwing
Fast: Sabre Strike Tank, Volkite Saker, Heavy Flamer, Ironwing
Transport: Rhino APC

Civil Warrior: Lauri @lateheresy
Faction: The Death Guard
Army: The Hollow Harvest

Elite: Legion Apothecarion Detachment, 2x Apothecary
Elite: Legion Rapier Battery, Gravis Heavy Bolter
Elite: Legion Rapier Battery, Gravis Heavy Bolter
Troop: 12x Tactical Marines, Augury Scanner, Sergeant with Power Scythe and Toxin Bombs
Troop: 12x Tactical Marines, Augury Scanner, Sergeant with Power Fist and Toxin Bombs

Civil Warrior: Olli @wrhd_ollie
Faction: The Salamanders
Army: Survivors of the Trogdor System

HQ: Legion Overseer, Power Sword
Retinue: Solar Auxilia Rifle Section, Auxilia Vexilla, Sergeant with Chainsword
Elite: Legion Apothecarion Detachment, Apothecary
Troop: Tactical Squad, Sergeant with Chainsword
Troop: Despoiler Squad, 2x Power Lance, Sergeant with Power Mace
Troop: Scout Squad, 2x Shotguns, 3x Bolt Pistol & Chainsword

Civil Warrior: Scott @wrhd_scott
Faction: Imperialis Militia
Army: Thracian First, Death World Conscripts

HQ: Force Commander, Charnabal Sabre, Iron Halo, Cyber Familiar, Needle Pistol
Provenances of War: Feral Warriors & Legacy of the Great Crusade
Troop: 16 Grenadiers, 2x Shotgun, Flamer, Heavy Stubber, 14x Chainaxe
Troop: Fire Support Squad "Traplings", Remote Detonators (Missile Launchers)
Fast: Thunderbolt Attack Fighter "Betsy"

Civil Warrior: Teemu @gowarhead
Faction: The Thousand Sons
Army: 5th Archivist & Development Group

Elite: Numerologist Cabal Mhosis T'kar, 4x Life Wards "The Reborn"
Elite: The Whisper Occult Cabal, Khenetai Blades
Troop: Corvidae Tactical Squad, Sergeant with Combi-Grenade Launcher
Transport: Rhino APC, Hunter-Killer Missile Targeter
Transport: Rhino APC, Hunter-Killer Missile Targeter
Transport: Rhino APC, Hunter-Killer Missile Targeter

Psychic Power Markers: Wyrd-Remembrancer Seth An-Khamun & Thrall Scribe
Wysiwyg Token: Cloud Scarab UAV, Prosperine Mind-Link, Missile Configuration

Civil Warrior: Manel @mp_miniatures
Faction: Ordo Reductor Mechanicum
Army: Thavrax's Ashen March

Elite: Tech-Priest Auxilia, 4x Servo-Automata, Magos-Auxilia, Conversion Beamer
Troop: Adsecularis Tech-Thralls Covenant
Troop: Adsecularis Tech-Thralls Covenant
Troop: Thallax Cohort, Chain Bayonets
Heavy: Ordo Reductor Artillery Tank Battery, Whirlwind Artillery Tank

Civil Warrior: Noa @wrhd_noa
Faction: The White Scars
Army: Hunting Tiger

HQ: Moritat Consul, 2x Volkite Serpenta, Warhawk Jump Pack
Troop: Legion Despoilers, 2x Power Axe, Heavy Chainsword
Fast: 9 Legion Seekers Squad
Transport: Rhino APC, Heavy Flamer
Transport: Rhino APC, Heavy Bolter, Dozer Blade

Thanks for checking out our results coverage, please stay tuned for individual unit pics, musings and reports in our Instagram @gowarhead and everyone's individual accounts! Thanks again to @mp_miniatures for the brilliant photography.